The present application relates, in general, to electrical connectors, and more particularly to an improved spring-arm receptacle shaped to receive male terminals, and to provide improved contact therebetween.
Pin and blade-type male terminals for electrical connectors are well known and are widely used in a variety of applications. As is known, a problem with such terminals is to ensure a reliable, low-resistance connection between the terminal and a corresponding receptacle, or socket. Uniform forces are important for this purpose, since such connectors may be subject to vibration or to a rocking motion of the terminal which may tend to loosen the connection and cause arcing or fretting corrosion. Such problems occur particularly in connector structures where there is only a single point of contact between the terminal and the receptacle, as is often the case, and lead to increased resistance and consequent heating of the connection, often resulting in open circuits or, in high power applications, in welding the connector together, thereby preventing disassembly.
Many connector receptacles, or sockets, utilize spring-like tines, or flexible spring arms, which typically provide a pair of opposed spring contacts which are spaced apart to receive a male terminal. However, if a terminal is inserted at an angle, for example, or if a terminal that is too large for the connector or is the wrong shape is inserted, permanent deformation of the spring contacts can occur due to overextension of the metal, with consequent loss of contact integrity. This often results in the above-noted fretting corrosion, which causes the resistance of the connector to increase, resulting in heating which further reduces the strength of the contact and causes rapid deterioration of the connection.